


What is Love?

by galacticnocturne



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Childhood Friends, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love, M/M, One Shot, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-04-30
Packaged: 2020-02-10 11:14:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18659311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galacticnocturne/pseuds/galacticnocturne
Summary: A story of two best friends, from their childhood to college.





	What is Love?

 

> “You will always be my always” he assured me.
> 
> And i believed him, because he’d never given me a reason not to.”
> 
> \--- Realm of Possibilities, David Levithan

 

**It’s sharing crayons at the arts and crafts class.**

 

It’s elementary school and Link has been friends with Rhett for over a month now.

Rhett always forgets his crayons. Link knows it is either because he got carried away eating breakfast -like always- and forgot to pack them into his bag, or he was too busy messing with the other kids in class to keep track of where he had put them.

Link has gotten used to it.

As an organised kid -unlike his friend- he always has the needed materials for class ready. Their arts teacher is good-tempered and yet she gets angry when kids loiter in her class. And when you don’t have crayons, you loiter. So whenever Rhett forgets his crayons, Link shares his with him. He doesn’t like sharing his materias with other kids; they are all so messy and never use them as precise as Link would. But Rhett is different. He is careless alright, but he is Link’s best friend. Link can’t let his best friend get yelled at over some stupid crayons. So they use his crayons together.

Rhett doesn’t say thank you that much. This would have hurt Link, if it wasn’t for the drawing he receives one day. He comes to his desk after a recess and there it is: a drawing of himself with “Link” written on the bottom. Rhett had drawn him, with his crayons. This makes Link smile so big his cheeks hurt.

Over the years, Link learns to let go thanks to Rhett.   

 

**It’s protecting each other from bullies**

 

Rhett had always been good at sports.

He isn't sure if it is because of his height, or his dad’s influence on his sons; but he knows he is good at it. He is not only in the basketball team but he is also the star player. Link usually comes to the practises. Not to take part -he doesn’t like basketball- but to watch. He waits until the practise is over and then the two of them walk home together. Rhett likes having Link there, but he also wants his friend to engage in some fun activities as well. Afterall, middle school should be about having fun, right?  So, he persuades him to try out for the football team. At the tryouts, Rhett is at the seats cheering Link on and Link is doing terrible. At some point Rhett actually thinks about getting down to the field to help him out, but he stops himself. After it is over, you can practically see the disappointment on Link’s face.

Rhett is waiting outside the locker rooms, already working on some stupid jokes that would make Link laugh for when they walk back home. Link is one of the first people to come out.

“Ugh i was horrible” he proclaims, throwing his hands to the air.

“I mean, yea, but at least you weren't..” Rhett’s sentence is cut short by the tug on Link’s shoulder from the back. A rather huge boy, John, turns Link around to face him and with a stupid grin on his face practically yells “Turns out you are not good at playing with footballs! Guess all that practise you had with your boyfriend’s balls didn’t help, faggot!”.

Link is dumbfounded and can’t move. But Rhett, Rhett is angry. Without even thinking about it he throws a punch right at John’s stomach. It is so unexpected that no one moves: not John’s friends as he tumbles to the ground, nor Link staring at Rhett’s fist that still hangs in the air.

Rhett gets detention for 3 days. His parents are furious and grounds him for a week: he can’t go out except for school. But this does not stop Rhett and Link from walking home together, taking the longer route now. And Rhett is sure that if he had the chance, he would do it again.

Over the years, Rhett learns to stand up for what he cares about; one of these things being Link.

 

**It’s always being there for eachother.**

 

It’s the last year of highschool and they need to decide what to study in college.

Both of them have always been interested in the arts: theatre, music, writing… With a little research they come to the conclusion that they should go to film school, where they can create things that will make people happy. However, there is one person who is not happy about this: Rhett’s dad.

He wants his son to study in order to have a respected career, and you can’t have that in the entertainment business. Rhett tries to argue against this, to explain to his father that he can be both successful and happy if he were to go into entertainment. But his dad’s word is final, and Rhett gives in. He still doesn’t know what to study, but most importantly how to give this news to Link. They have always been together and weren’t planning on separating in college. And yet, life is cruel and Rhett knows that he can’t ask Link to give up on behalf of him.

At lunch time, they sneak out to go have some food at a nearby fried chicken place. Once they have devoured their food and are back at Link’s truck, Rhett decides to give the news to him.

“Hey bo?” he begins and continues as Link looks up “I talked with my parents about our plans to go to film school…”

Link’s eyes light up which makes something in Rhett’s stomach turn.

“They, well mostly my father but mom agrees as well, they … uuuhm … they don’t really want me to go to film school…” He is aware that he had trailed off but knows Link heard him because the look on his face changes. “They want me to have a proper career so i shouldn’t get into entertainment business.” Link still doesn’t say anything but keeps on looking at Rhett with that naive look on his face which just makes Rhett feel even worse.

“So, i don’t know what i should study. I was planning on visiting the consultant at the school for advice. But i understand that you should still go on with the plan, which means we would go to different schools…” Rhett tries to stay strong but is not sure if he is successful in doing so.

“Okay, so, we should probably go to the consultant together as i have no idea what to study either.” Link smiles. Rhett can’t tell if he is forcing it or if he is being sincere. In either case, he is confused.

“I ain’t going if you ain’t coming with me bo” Link elaborates.

Now Rhett is properly baffled.

“No, but, what about your dreams man?!”

Link locks eyes with him before speaking

“It’s not _my_ dream. It’s ours. And it won’t make me happy if you are not there with me.”

Rhett doesn’t know what to say. But luckily, Link is not waiting for an answer as he starts the truck and drives back to school.

That afternoon, as they are sitting at the consultants office next to each other and listening to her talking about engineering, Link reaches out and squeezes Rhett’s hand. The warmth of their hands together calms Rhett down and he squeezes back.

 

**It’s always being the others always.**

 

The second terms at college always feel lighter, most probably because of the weather getting nicer. Not for Link, he is as stressed as ever.

When he walks in to their dorm room and throws himself to the bed, Rhett knows that everything is not okay. “How was it bo?” he asks, not daring to get closer just yet. Link gives a muffled scream in response. “That bad huh?” Rhett gets up this time and walks towards where Link is lying. He nudges him softly but gets no response. “Link?” He see the back of his best friend trembling and hear soft hiccups. Rhett slowly but firmly takes hold of his friend’s shoulders and uprights him. There are water stains on the bedding and Link’s face is swollen. He avoids his teary eyes from Rhett.

“Oh Link…” Rhett wraps his arms around the smaller boy and embraces him just a bit too tight. Link is now audibly crying.

“I just don’t know if i can do this: school, family, life in general!”

“This is not the end of the world, you will get by.” Rhett knows he is not making much sense but he doesn’t know what else to say.

“The exam was crap, all that studying for nothing; and then the date i went to afterwards was just as stupid, she hated me!”

Rhett’s body stiffen at the mention of the date. He was the one to set them up, true, but it still feels awkward.

“I am not smart, i am not loveable… What am i even doing in this life?”

Rhett can't take it anymore,

“Stop it! You are the smartest person i know, okay? And you are perfect, whoever does not love you is clearly delusional!”

Link raises his head to look at his face

“You … you think so?”

Rhett wipes away some of the tears from Link’s face,

“I know so.”

Link melts into his touch and Rhett doesn’t dare take his hand away.

“Then why does the only person i care about doesn't love me back?”

Rhett’s hand falls down. Link is averting his eyes again as he tries to shuffle away from him.

“Sorry, no i didn’t mean anything, i’m just … tired, you know, i..”

His mumbling is cut short by the soft lips of his best friend. Rhett is now leaning forward, merging their mouths together in a wet and sloppy kiss.

As they draw away, Link has stopped crying.  

“Oh he does love you, he is just a coward.” Rhett smiles sadly.

This time, it is Link who is pressing his lips to his best friend as they finally become more than friends.

 

**What is love?**

**It is what we had all along.**

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
